And they called to sectarianism (furqah) and Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, forbade sectarianism. Some of them declared others to be disbelievers. And everyone called to his own opinion and to calling those who disagreed with him disbelievers. So the ignorant people, the rabble and those having no knowledge went astray. They caused the people to become greedy for the things of this life and to fear worldly punishment. So the people followed them upon fear regarding their religion and out of hope for what they possessed from this world.[1]

And those who were given the scripture did not differ except after the clear truth had come to them.(Sooratul-Bayyinah (98), aayah 4)

So they differed and split not upon ignorance but rather upon knowledge; `ilm.

His saying,“And some of them declared others to be disbelievers,” The firaq (sects) started declaring each other to be disbelievers. And this is a sign which is manifest upon them. And this is a proof that they are all upon falsehood. As for the people of the truth and the people of the Sunnah then they do not declare each other to be disbelievers. Rather, they are friends and allies to each other, they love each other and they support each other and they advise each other. And likewise, they do not declare the other sects to be disbelievers except for what the Book and the Sunnah proves to be disbelief. Otherwise, it is the case that they (the people of sunnah) are justly balanced with regard to the matter of Takfeer. They do not declare anyone a disbeliever except for those whom the proof is established that he is a disbeliever and they are not hasty with regard to this matter.

His saying, “and each one called to his own opinion and to declaring those who disagreed with him to be disbelievers.” This is a sign of the people of misguidance. He, the Most High, said:

So they split into parties and sects, each one following a separate book, every group rejoicing in what it was upon.(Sooratul-Mu·minoon (23), aayah 53)

Zuburan; meaning books. They authored books and this occurs. They author books to support their own position and their own party and they rejoice in what they are upon. And if they had just been upon ignorance then it could be hoped that they would return. However, they rejoice in what they are upon from falsehood and they believe it to be the truth. And this is a punishment from Allaah for them.

His saying, “So the ignorant people and the ra`aa` (the common rabble) and those who had no knowledge went astray.”They led the ignorant people astray and the rubble and those who had no knowledge. But as for the people of the truth and the people of knowledge then they are not affected by these sects and these misguidances because they know that it is falsehood.

His saying, “And they caused the people to become greedy for things of this world and they cause them to fear the punishment of this world.” That is from the means which they utilise in their trial that they give their followers some of the things, which they crave after.

His saying, “So the creation followed them therefore, upon fear with regard to their religion and upon hope with regard to what they had of this world.” Many of the people have love of this world so therefore, they will follow anyone who will give them anything from wealth even if he is upon falsehood as a result of their craving for wealth.

Point Continues

Imaam Barbahaaree rahimahullaah said:(90E)

So the Sunnah and the people of the Sunnah were suppressed and innovations appeared and became widespread. The people committed disbelief in many ways, which they were not aware of. They applied analogy and considered the ability of the Lord, His signs, His rulings, His commands and His prohibitions according to their own intellects and opinions. So whatever accorded with their intellects, they accepted it and whatever ran contrary to their intellects, they rejected it. So Islaam became a stranger and the Sunnah became a stranger and the people of the Sunnah became strangers within their own homes.

The Explanation:

His saying, “So the Sunnah and the people of the Sunnah became suppressed and innovations appeared and became widespread.” After the people of the Sunnah had been apparent in the quroon al-mufaddalah (most excellent generations) and the people of evil had been subdued, then the affair became turned around and the people of the Sunnah became suppressed and the people of falsehood became apparent. However, this will not persist. Even if the people of falsehood become apparent at one time then they will decline in the future and they will collapse in the future. And the final outcome will always be for the people of Taqwa; those who are dutiful to their Lord. And Imaam Ibn ul-Qayyim rahimahullaah said:[2]

“And the truth is aided and tested so do not be surprised for this is the way of the Most Merciful.”

His saying, “And they applied analogy,” Analogy (Qiyaas), meaning in `aqeedah (creed and belief) because `aqeedah (creed and belief) has no analogy in it because it is tawqeefeeyah (reliant upon direct text). Action with regard to it is not upon except a proof. And no analogy is made in matters of creed and belief. Analogy can only be in fiqh.

His saying, “and they considered the ability of the Lord and His signs and His rulings and His commands and His prohibitions in accordance with their intellects and their own opinions.” This is al qiyaasul baatil (the false and futile analogy) making analogy with regard to Allaah, the Majestic and Most High, the One Who cannot be imagined by their minds and their opinions. So they rebut based upon the analogy of their intellects, the speech of Allaah and the speech of His Messenger.[3]

His saying, “So whatever conformed with their intellects, they accepted it and whatever was contrary to their intellects, they rejected it.” So they make their intellects and their opinions the judge, so whatever conflicts with it, they reject it, either by ta·weel (interpreting it away) or by rafd (directly rejecting it) and not accepting it.

His saying,“So therefore, Islaam became a stranger and the Sunnah became a stranger and the people of the Sunnah became strangers within their own homes.” Just as he sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:

Islaam began as a stranger and it will return to being a stranger just the same as it began. So give glad tidings of a tree in Paradise to the strangers.”[4]So then they said, “Who are the strangers O Messenger of Allaah?” So he said, “Those who are upon correctness when the people become corrupted.”

And in one narration:

“Those who correct whatever the people corrupt.”

They correct themselves are upon correctness and they correct whatever the people have corrupted. They are the ghurabaa (strangers). Why are they called strangers (ghurabaa)? Because those who contradict them are many and those who criticise them are many, so they are strangers amongst the people of their own lands and the people of their own time.[5]

Footnotes:

[1] Translator’s side point: Some of the versions have at the end , “So the people followed them upon fear regarding their worldly life and out of hope for what they possessed from this world.”W`Allaahu A`lam.

[2] Translator’s side point: Quote being from his famous poem Al-Kaffiyaat ash-Shaafiyah along with the explanation of it, they give a reference there.

[3]Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmeerahimahullaah mentioned in his explanation, “This seems to be referring to the like of the Jahmiyyah and the Mu`tazilah. They brought this matter of analogy and their intellect into the religion and used it to reject the texts; texts with regard to the attributes of Allaah, the Most High and other than them.”

[4]Shaykh Aal Ash Shaykh continues with the wordings of the hadeeth but this part of the hadeeth is reported by Muslim (145) of a hadeeth of Aboo Hurayrah radiyAllaahu `anhu without what follows in the main text here.

It is also reported by Muslim (146) from Ibn `Umar radiyAllaahu `anhuma from the Prophet that he said:

“Islaam began as a stranger and it will return to being a stranger just as it began and it will retreat between the two mosques just as a snake returns to its hole.”

“Who are the strangers, O Messenger of Allaah? Then he replied, “They are those who are upon correctness when the people become corrupted.”

This wording is reported by At–Tabaraaniyy in Al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer and Al-Mu`jam al-Awsat, Al-Mu`jam as-Sageer from Sahl ibn Sa`d as-Saai`dee. Al-Haythamee said in Majma` az-Zawaa`id, its narrators are those of the Saheeh except for Bakr ibn Sulaym and he was reliable as well.

As a side point, Shaykh Al-Albaaniyy declared this narration authentic in As-Saheehah under hadeeth no. 1273,

“The strangers are those who are upon correctness themselves when the people become corrupted.”

As for the last wording that’s mentioned, “They are those who correct whatever the people corrupt,”that is reported by At-Tirmidhiyy and At–Tabaraaniyy in al-Kabeer from a narration of `Amr ibn `Awf that Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:

“The religion began as a stranger and it will return to being a stranger. So give glad tidings to the strangers, those who rectify what the people have corrupted after me from my Sunnah.”

As for Shaykh al-Albaaniyy in his checking of Tirmidhiyy declared this particular report here as da`eef jiddan (very weak, not authentic).

In the footnote also, they mention a further wording reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah and Imaam Ahmad and ad-Daarimee and Ibn Maajah and others from a hadeeth of Ibn Mas`ood that contains the wording, it was said,

“Who are the strangers? And that he said, “An-nuzzaa` minal qabaa-il (they are the scattered ones from amongst the tribes).”

They mention here that Imaam al-Bukhaariyy declared that narration to be hasan, as was reported from him by his student, at–Tirmidhiyy. And Al-Baghawee said in Sharhus Sunnah, the hadeeth is saheehgareeb with a singular chain. And again this particular report here was declared da`eef by Shaykh Al-Albaaniyy in the checking of Sunan Ibn Maajah, W`Allaahu A`lam.

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